Branching out into pop culture is helping Jumbo Video, London’s last movie and video game rental store, stay relevant in the age of streaming entertainment

Jake Davidson inside Jumbo Video on Adelaide Street. Despite the steady decline of the movie and video game rental industry, Jumbo has continued to stay relevant by plugging into London’s pop culture community. Photo taken in London Ont. August 10, 2017. (CHRIS MONTANINI, Londoner)

Back in 1989, Londoners Phil and Donna Davidson opened a Jumbo Video location on Adelaide Street and began renting popular movies to customers while struggling to convince their son Jake to put away his Nintendo.

“I’m still fighting with them to this day,” Jake says with a smile from the offices in the back of the store. “I mean, in ’89 they went for the movies side more than they did the games side. They joined Jimbo Video first and then in ’94, … that’s when the gaming portion came in. Because it was foreign technology to them, they didn’t understand video games. Now it’s half our business.”

There’s no doubt that Phil and Donna weren’t the only parents in the eighties and nineties concerned about how much time their kids were spending manipulating pixels on a television screen, although that was well before the industry’s worldwide revenues began approaching $100 billion.

Now, video games are big business and a natural fit anywhere you can find Blu-rays and DVDs. Yet since he started working in his parents’ store in 2006, Jake has realized Jumbo Video is going to need a lot more than Xboxes and PlayStations to stay relevant.

Local competitors in the movie and video game rental market have more or less disappeared as digital content from massive online subscription services continues to increase in convenience and popularity.

What’s keeping Jumbo Video from suffering the same fate as so many others?

The Davidsons have relied on a combination of new and old to keep the store from what once seemed like an unavoidable fate.

First, the new.

If you’re a Netflix subscriber (and you’ve noticed higher monthly fees for a shrinking amount of content) you might be interested to know that for less money per month, you can access Jumbo Video’s core library — roughly 15,000 titles, new releases not included — and rent up to three titles at a time without late fees or due dates.

Jake points out that the store stocks movies and TV shows regardless of who produces them. That includes movies from Disney, which just announced plans to pull its content from Netflix and launch its own subscription service when licensing deals expire in 2019.

“The best part is, we get everything,” Jake says. “Unlike Netflix, we get Game of Thrones. We get Sons of Anarchy, Breaking Bad, Shameless; every big name TV show out there, we’ve got.”

If consumers grow weary of the monthly subscriptions that seem destined to eat up any savings from cutting the cable cord, Jake believes programs like Jumbo’s may offer a viable alternative as long as people are still interested in physical media (which still offers the highest quality picture and sound, he adds).

Space in the store has recently been reorganized to include more core titles and customers no longer need a credit card to sign up.

“We’ve seen a huge increase,” Jake says. “We’re just looking to continue expanding into that for the next couple months.”

As Jumbo Video tries to stay on top of the streaming content curve, Jake has also reached back into his past for inspiration. In glass cases at the front of the store, you’ll find a growing collection of retro video games and a number of used consoles dating back to the early days of gaming.

Jake began buying, selling, and trading in 2016 and as major players such as Nintendo attempt to capitalize on nostalgia by reproducing popular titles from the 8- and 16-bit eras, Jumbo Video has increased foot traffic and revenue by offering competitive credit for old school games.

“Sales is higher for us than rentals,” Jake says. The ratio is about 60-40.

“The easiest way I can explain it is all the people that grew up on that tech, … that’s their childhood,” Jake continues. “Now that they’re at a point where they’ve got the disposable income … some of (them) are like, ‘I remember how much fun I used to have and I’ve got kids now and I want to show my kids my stuff.’ That’s why I think retro has exploded. Those are the games everybody wants now.”

Pop culture merchandise also seemed like a natural fit and Jake says Jumbo Video will be adding niche tabletop games like Dungeons and Dragons and Warhammer to the store’s growing inventory in the near future.

There’s one more secret to Jumbo Video’s longevity. A partnership with London Comic Con has plugged the store into the city’s pop culture network and they host a number of related events before, after, and during the annual event.

Disney Day at Jumbo Video is coming up Aug. 26. Disney cosplayers will be in the store and Jake is offering deals on movies and video games.

A barbecue will support an ongoing fundraiser by Dad Club London, a local charitable group Jake is also involved with.

“As you can see just walking in the store, we’re not all movie rentals,” he says. “(We’re) showing that we’re still part of London’s community.”

More info: Enjoy super savings on movies and video games plus meet some of your favourite Disney characters. Hot dogs sold on site to support Dad Club London and as always, Jumbo has free popcorn.

Other London Comic Con events in August

What: Comic Book Jam

When: Monday Aug. 21 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Where: The ARTS Project

More info: London Comic Con and Runciman Press have been hosting the drawing event for over a year on a monthly basis. The event brings together artists of varying skill levels and puts them on a course to create a comic book together. Those participating can also be published in one of our biannual Comic Jam comic books.

What: Star Wars Day

When: Sunday Aug. 27 10 a.m. — 3 p.m.

Where: Storybook Gardens

More info: Storm Troopers, Jedi Knights, and droids gather at Storybook Gardens to have some fun in the sun while London Comic Con hosts giveaways. Wear a costume to save $1.50 off admission then participate in a Storm Trooper march through the park or join your favourite Star Wars characters on rides.

What: Star Trek Trivia Night

When: Wednesday Aug. 30, 7:30 p.m.

Where: Toboggan Brewing Co.

More info: The big winners of the evening will receive an autograph and photo experience with Captain Kirk himself, William Shatner. Pre-registration required on the Facebook event page. $1.00 from every registrant goes towards London Comic Con's annual fundraising efforts for the Children's Health Foundation.